To^m Chie^n Ta^y Ho^` - Shrimps & Sweet Potato Fritters

Since I have some veggies and herbs left, I like to finish them up.  How am I going to do that? I have some sweet potato at home with some shrimps. Then I decided to make Shrimps and Sweet Potato Fritters.  Actually, these are great for snacks but can be quite filling for dinner or eaten anytime of the day.  Check them out.

They are crunchy and the sweet potato just make it so much better.

 I toasted them up before we eat them since I love the crunchy texture.

 Once you wrap them in summer herbs and lettuce and dip them in the fish sauce, it's like you're in heaven.  They are out of this world. Yummy!

Fish sauce for dipping

Enjoy!

Ingredients ( serves 4-6)

For the Batter:

• 1 cup rice flour
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 cups water
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp tumeric powder
• 1 tsp baking powder 

For the Shrimps:

• 1 lb small white shrimps**
• salt, pepper, chicken stock to taste
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 500g (1.1 lb) sweet potatoes
• canola oil to deep fry
• fresh greens: lettuce, corriander, mint, cucumber/apple
• Pickled carrots and daikons
• Vietnamese light dipping sauce (nuoc cham)

Assemble:

Wrap the fritters with the lettuce and fresh herbs and veggies and dunk it into the fish sauce.  Then it's chow time, baby! :-)

Coconut Macaroons with Sliced Almonds

Since Christmas is two weeks away, I made a batch of Coconut Macaroons and brought it in for my team. This time I added the sliced almonds, and drizzled some chocolate on top. I used two bags of coconut flakes, and they were gone in minute.

recipe:

http://trucvy-zoe.blogspot.com/2011/12/coconut-macaroons.html

Enjoy baking!

Coconut Macaroons

I have been searching for a non-sweet version of Coconut Macaroons eversince I came back from Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. All the recipes I found have condense milk and ton of sugar in it. Therefore, i stopped searching for a while and was going to give up the idea of ever making this snack altogether. Costco has it, but it way too sweet for me. Two weeks ago, I was surfing some food blogs and found a great recipe from Tanya. She made some conconut macaroons and brought them to a Thanksgiving party. I asked if they were super-sweet, and she said not at all. I tested the recipe out today and they were awesome! Thank you Tayna for making this possible.

http://tanya-sweethome.blogspot.com/

They are delicious.

Check out the coconut mixture

Scoop them out and line them up like below.

This recipe has white chococolates and egg whites.

Oven : 350 degree for 15 minutes

Let them cool for a few minutes

Ingredients:
-3 egg whites
-2/3 cup of sugar
-1 (14 oz) sweetened flaked coconut
-2/3 cup white chocolate morsels
-2 teaspoon lime/orange zest

Method:
1. Use a standing mixer in high speed and beat the egg whites (stiffly beaten).
2. Add the sugar slowly.
3. Fold in the coconut, chocolate morsel, and the lime/orange zest.
4. Drops by teaspoonful on the cookies sheet (2 inches apart).
5. Bake for 15 minutes or edges are lightly browned.

Enjoy!

Cake Pops

I have seen many folks making cake pops, and I always wanted to make them. The only thing I am missing is the mould. Last week, I finally got it from Bed Bath & Beyond. I told my nieces and nephews about it, and they were so excited. Yesterday, we got together and they had ton of fun putting these suckers together.



Not only it's fun to have the kids make them , but it's also a bonding momments you will have together with your kids.

This will give them an opportunity to be creative as well.

Check out some of the creations that they put together!

Plain cake pops came just came out from the oven.

Aren't they adorable? :-)

We decided to make cup cakes too.

Here you go. All of them.

Yeah!!! Check them out!

All wrapped up and divided evenly among the kids. Look like we need to make some more. All gone!

This was super fun .

Coffee Macarons

Today is my niece, Andrea's birthday. I made some coffee macarons for her. They came out perfectly.



One taste of these suckers, and you will be soooo awake. The filling is quite strong with coffee flavor.

Check out the perfect shells.

I added a few black sesame seeds to make them look for interesting.

I just can't stop eating them. Help me!!!!

For the shell, I used the same ingredients below.

http://trucvy-zoe.blogspot.com/2011/11/pandan-macarons-with-coconut-filling.html

FOR THE COFFEE FILLING:

4 oz of coffee mascarpone cheese (the one used especially for tiramisu)

2 tablespoons instant coffee

Let mascarpone cheese cool to room temperature. Then, mix the 2 ingredients together with a spoon until they totally combine into a smooth mixture. Transfer the filling to a piping bag and pipe onto the macaron shells. Then sandwich the macaron with the other shells

Vietnamese Snacks

I just worked the weekend, and I should be resting right now. Instead of sleeping until noon, I woke up at 6 AM this morning. I made myself a nice breakfast and start watching TV. Orignally, I plan to be a couch potato the whole day, but instead I went into my kitchen. And Voila`, this is what I made today.

Ba'nh bo` ha^'p - Steamed HoneyComb Cake


Ba'nh chuo^i' ha^'p - Steamed Banana cake

Served them with coconut milk and sesame seeds

Yummy!

Want a platter? I can make you one. :-)

Enjoy!

Pandan Macarons with Coconut Filling

This was the first time I make French Macarons. I have been researching it for a week now, and finally I have a chance to make them. My Macarons turned out great. :-) I am sooo happy. Check them out!!!

But I think I am in so much trouble. I can't stop eating them :-(

Don't they look irresistable?

I think I better put them away before I eat them all. Then I really am in big trouble for real.

Enjoy!

Ingredients: for plain shells (for chocolate shells, add 10 g cocoa powder)

140 g egg whites
180 g sugar
5 g dry egg white powder (optional)
160 g almond flour
160 g icing sugar

1 TB of pandan paste (or until you get the color you like)

Filling:

1/3 cup (75 g) egg whites

1/2 cup (100 gram) granulated sugar (or less depending on how sweet you want it)

1/2 stick of butter (room temp)

2 teaspoon of pandan paste

1 cup of whipped cream

1/2 cup of coconut flake

Method for the shell:

1. Separate your eggs and store the whites at room temperature in a covered container. I leave it in room temperature for at least 24 hours.

2. In a stand mixer, whip the egg whites to a foam, gradually add the sugar until you get a smooth, glossy appearance.

3. Combine the almonds, powdered sugar in a food processor.

4. Pass through a sieve.

5. Incorporate the dry ingredients so the egg whites don't deflate and start folding it carefully.

6. Mix it well and test to see if the batter has the thickness and body (as long as it's not so liquidly then you're good to go.)

7. Fill a pastry bag with a plan tip.

8. Pipe small rounds (1.5 inches in diameter) into the silicone liner.

9. Let the macarons sit out for 30 min to harden their shells. If the top has dried and not stick to your finger, then they are ready.

10. Preheat the oven to 325 F.

11. Bake for 12-15 minutes.

12. Cool completely and pipe your chosen filling.

Method for the filling:

1. Whip the egg whites in the standing mixer.

2. Add the sugar.

3. Continue whipping on high and add the butter.

4. Add in the pandan paste

5. Put in another bowl.

6. Whip the heavy cream in the standing mixer.

7. Fold the whipped cream with the egg white filling

Tandoori Chicken Puffs

Recently, I noticed a lot of the folks in the food forum start making a lot of Indian dishes. It makes me want to make something really bad, but I don't have any Indian seasoning in my cupboard. Last week, I was at the grocery and noticed a jar of Tandoori seasoning stared at me straight in the face as if it was trying to tell me, "Take me home with you!" And Ta ta....that was how I came up with Tandoori Chicken Puff.



The golden brown color is so pretty, and they are simply delicious.

One can of flaky biscuit, I can make 16 of the chicken puffs.

Not only they are great for breakfast, but lunch and snack as well. I took the whole batch over to my in-law yesterday, and they loved it. This morning, I ended up making a new batch for my parents.

Ingredients:

1 can of flaky biscuits

a little bit of All Purpouse flour (use this to roll out your dough so it won't be sticky)

1 egg (use the yolk only for egg wash)

Seasonings:

2 Tbsp. yogurt

1/2 -1 Tbsp. Tandoori Seasoning

1/2 tsp. grated ginger

1 clove garlic, minced
1 TB of oyster sauce

Filling:

1 lb of ground chicken

1 onion (minced)

2-3 green onion (chopped)

pinch of salt

pinch of sugar

pinch of pepper

-Add Seasoning and filling together

Method:

1) Divide one piece of biscuit dough into half and roll it out in circle

2) Add in 1 TB of the filling and put in the middle of the dough

3) Fold it in half and press the edge together with your fingers

4) Brush the pastry with the egg wash using a pastry brush

5) Prehead the oven to 375F degress, bake for 15 minutes

6) Turn the oven down to 300 F degrees, and bake until golden brown.

7) Serve with a cup of coffee for breaksfast :-)

Vietnamese Doughnut - Ba'nh Tie^u

Ba'nh tie^u was one of my favorite snacks in the morning when I was in Vietnam. My MOM always bought them for breakfast along with soy milk when she went to the food market in the morning. I would wake up early and go with her because I knew she would buy Ba'nh tie^u for me. A few months back I saw the recipe for this, and I want to make them right away. However, I just never have the time to do it until now.


Ingredients: (recipe from Mrs. Apple and Ms. Ma)
2 cups of All Purpose flour
1/4 cup of self rising flour
1 tsp of yeast
1/2 tsp of salt
sesame seeds
oil (for frying)
1 cup of lukewarm water (microwave cold water for 15 second)
1/2 cup of sugar

Method:
1. In a small bowl, add 1 tsp of yeast along with 1 tsp of luke warm water. Let the yeast bubble up.
2. In the standing mixer, add the all purpose flour, self rising flour, salt, sugar, and add the lukewarm water slowly while turning the stir level # 4.
3. Let it mix for at least 20 mintues into a soft dough.
4. Take the dough out and put in a clean bowl to prove.
5. Cover and let the dough rest for at least a couple hours in the oven with the oven light on or until the dough is double in size.
6.Take dough out and knead about 6 or 7 times and divide them into 12 portions.
7. Shape each portion into a ball shape and dip them in the sesame seeds on both sides.
8. Coat them with a little extra flour and roll them into flat circles.
9. Pour Canola oil a little bit more than half of the skillet, and turn the skillet to 370 degree.
10. Add the flat dough into the hot oil and it will start to float.
11. Gently use your chopstick and flip them and they will should puff up.
12. Flip them and fry on the other side until golden brown.


Prove the dough for two hours or so in the oven with the oven light on, the dough will look like this.


Divide the dough into smaller portions and roll them into a flat circles.

Dip the sesame seeds on both sides, and roll them into flat circles.

Fry them in the skillet at 375 degree.

They will float and start to puff up like above. Once they turned golden brown, they can be removed from the skillet.

Voila`, See finished product below.

Hubby had four of them after he came home from work, and had two this morning for breakfast.